Reducing nuisance notifications from a building automation system

ABSTRACT

Reducing nuisance notifications from building automation systems is described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a notification of an alarm from a building automation system, compare attributes of the alarm to attributes of alarms included in a database of suppressed alarms, refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm matching attributes of any of the alarms in the database, and transmit a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarms in the database.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/277,818, filed Feb. 15, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/680,756, filed Aug. 18, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,228,672, issued Mar. 12, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/168,730, filed May 31, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No.9,754,478, which are all incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to reducing nuisance notifications from abuilding automation system.

BACKGROUND

Building automation systems can be complex distributed systems. Forexample, a building automation system can include many different piecesof equipment. As a specific example, a building automation system caninclude different pieces of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning(HVAC) equipment as well as other equipment such as sensors, operatingpanels, controllers, actuators, etc.

The different pieces of equipment included in a building automationsystem can generate alarms that can notify a user, such as a buildingmanager, of abnormalities in the building automation system. Forexample, a piece of equipment included in the building automationsystem, such as a piece of HVAC equipment, may generate an alarm inresponse to a fault in the HVAC equipment. The alarm may be sent to amobile device associated with the user by the building automationsystem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system for reducing nuisancenotifications from a building automation system, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a display on a user interface of a mobiledevice showing options for suppressing notifications of an alarm, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a display on a user interface of a mobiledevice showing options for selecting a predetermined length of time forsuppressing notifications of an alarm, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a computing device for use with asystem for reducing nuisance notifications from a building automationsystem, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reducing nuisance notifications from a building automation system isdescribed herein. For example, one or more embodiments include a memory,and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored inthe memory to receive a notification of an alarm from a buildingautomation system, compare attributes of the alarm to attributes ofalarms included in a database of suppressed alarms, refrain fromtransmitting a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in responseto the attributes of the alarm matching attributes of any of the alarmsin the database, and transmit a notification of the alarm to a mobiledevice in response to the attributes of the alarm not matching theattributes of any of the alarms in the database.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can allow for suppression ofnotifications to reduce nuisance notifications from a buildingautomation system. For example, the user may receive notifications of analarm generated by the building automation system via a mobile deviceassociated with the user.

In some instances, a user may have diagnosed a fault causing the alarmand put in place plans for remediation of the fault, but the user maynot be able to immediately resolve the fault causing the alarm. As anexample, a specialist technician may be required to resolve the fault,but may not be able to be scheduled until a few days later. As anotherexample, the user may need to order parts required to resolve the faultthat are not immediately available. As a result, the user may continueto receive notifications of the fault, even though plans for remediationof the fault may already be in place.

Reducing nuisance notifications can allow for notifications associatedwith faults that may have already been diagnosed to be suppressed.Reducing repeated notifications can allow a user to focus on otherunrelated alarms that may require the user's attention.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof. The drawings show by wayof illustration how one or more embodiments of the disclosure may bepracticed.

These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those ofordinary skill in the art to practice one or more embodiments of thisdisclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may beutilized and that process, electrical, and/or structural changes may bemade without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As will be appreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments hereincan be added, exchanged, combined, and/or eliminated so as to provide anumber of additional embodiments of the present disclosure. Theproportion and the relative scale of the elements provided in thefigures are intended to illustrate the embodiments of the presentdisclosure, and should not be taken in a limiting sense.

The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the firstdigit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and theremaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing.Similar elements or components between different figures may beidentified by the use of similar digits. For example, 106 may referenceelement “06” in FIG. 1, and a similar element may be reference as 406 inFIG. 4. Additionally, the designator “N”, as used herein, particularlywith respect to reference numerals in the drawings, indicates that anumber of the particular feature so designated can be included with anumber of embodiments of the present disclosure.

As used herein, “a” or “a number of” something can refer to one or moresuch things. For example, “a number of mobile devices” can refer to oneor more mobile devices.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 for reducing nuisancenotifications from a building automation system, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, thesystem includes a platform 102, a building automation system 108, anetwork 110, and a number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.Platform 102 can include a database 104 and computing device 106.

Computing device 106 can receive a notification of an alarm frombuilding automation system 108. For example, computing device 106 canreceive an alarm relating to a fault that may be occurring in buildingautomation system 108. For instance, a fault in a piece of HVACequipment such as a stuck valve may be occurring that causes an alarm tobe generated and sent to building automation system 108 by a sensor thatsensed the stuck valve. After receiving the alarm from buildingautomation system 108, computing device 106 can transmit a notificationof the alarm to the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, and/or 112-Nvia network 110. As used herein, a mobile device can be a phone (e.g., asmart phone), a tablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or awearable device such as a wrist-worn device (e.g., a smartwatch) and/ora head-worn device (e.g., smart-glasses), among other types of devicesthat may be carried and/or worn by a user.

As used herein, a fault can include an event that occurs to cause apiece of equipment and/or a control strategy of a building to functionimproperly or to cause abnormal behavior in a building, or a zone of thebuilding, serviced by building automation system 108. In some examples,a fault can include a piece of equipment breaking down. In someexamples, a fault can include a component of a piece of equipmentceasing to function correctly. In some examples, a fault can includeabnormal behavior of a piece of equipment and/or a zone.

Although a fault is described as including equipment breakdowns andabnormal behavior, embodiments of the present disclosure are not solimited. For example, faults can include any other event that causesequipment or control strategies to function improperly, and/or causesabnormal behavior to occur in a building serviced by building automationsystem 108.

As used herein, an alarm can include a notification of a fault. Forexample, a fault may be detected by a physical and/or inferentialsensor, where the physical and/or inferential sensor sends (e.g.,transmits) a signal to building automation system 108 in response todetection of a fault. Building automation system 108 can generate analarm to notify a user of building automation system 108, such as abuilding owner, building manager, engineer, and/or other personnel.

As shown in FIG. 1, computing device 106 can be included in platform102. Platform 102 can receive notifications of a number of alarms frombuilding automation system 108 via network 110, where platform 102includes computing device 106 and database 104.

Network 110 can be a wired or wireless network that connects buildingautomation system 108, platform 102, and the number of mobile devices112-1, 112-2, 112-N. Examples of such a network relationship can includea local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), personal areanetwork (PAN), a distributed computing environment (e.g., a cloudcomputing environment), storage area network (SAN), Metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), a cellular communications network, and/or the Internet,among other types of network relationships.

Computing device 106 can receive, from a mobile device among the numberof mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N, instructions to suppressnotifications of an alarm for a predetermined length of time. Forexample, a user of a mobile device (e.g., mobile device 112-1) mayreceive, on mobile device 112-1, a notification of an alarm fromcomputing device 106. The user may choose to suppress notifications ofthe alarm. Once the user chooses to suppress notifications of the alarm,computing device 106 can receive from the mobile device (e.g., mobiledevice 112-1), instructions from the mobile device 112-1 to suppressnotifications of the alarm, as well as any alarms that may be similar tothe suppressed alarm, as will be further described herein.

The instructions to suppress notifications of an alarm can be unique toeach mobile device of the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.For example, a user of mobile device 112-1 may choose to suppressnotifications of an alarm for one hour. Only the user of mobile device112-1 will have notifications of the alarm suppressed for one hour,whereas the remaining users corresponding to mobile devices 112-2, 112-Nwill receive notifications of the alarm unless the users correspondingto mobile devices 112-2, 112-N also choose to suppress the notificationof the alarm. Hence, only those users of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2,112-N that choose to suppress notifications of an alarm will have thenotifications of the alarm suppressed.

Database 104 can include a number of suppressed alarms. For instance,database 104 can include a number of alarms suppressed by each of theusers of the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N, respectively.Each suppressed alarm can include instructions to suppress notificationsof the alarm for a predetermined length of time. For example, a user canindicate that notifications of an alarm, or a similar alarm, besuppressed for a predetermined length of time, such as ten minutes, onehour, one day, one week, or any other length of time chosen by the user,as will be further described in connection with FIG. 3.

The alarms included in database 104 can be stored in database 104 forthe predetermined length of time. For example, a user may have chosen,via one of the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N, to suppressnotifications of an alarm for one hour. As a result, the suppressedalarm can be stored in database 104 for one hour (e.g., the timecorresponding to the predetermined length of time chosen by the user).

Each of the alarms generated by building automation system 108 canincludes a number of attributes. As used herein, attributes of an alarmcan include characteristics of an alarm. Attributes of an alarm can beassigned to the alarm by the building automation system 108. Attributesof an alarm can be used to determine whether an additional alarm frombuilding automation system 108 is similar to a suppressed alarm andshould also be suppressed, as will be further described herein.

Attributes of an alarm can include a condition of the alarm, such as theissue state of the alarm. An issue state of an alarm can include aparameter to describe what the issue state is. For instance, an issuestate can include FAULT (e.g., a fault), DISCONNECTED (e.g., equipmentis disconnected), POWER OFF (e.g., equipment is powered off), OFFLINE(e.g., equipment is offline), OFF-LIMIT (e.g., equipmentparameter/variable off limit), PV-HIGH (e.g., present value ofparameter/variable too high), etc. In some examples, a condition of analarm can include an alarm being a new alarm. For instance, the alarmmay be regarding a fault in a piece of equipment included in a buildingthat has not generated an alarm before, or has not generated an alarmfor a specified period of time (e.g., has not generated an alarm for oneweek or longer). In some examples, a condition of an alarm can includethe alarm having recently occurred and is therefore being repeated. Insome examples, a condition of an alarm can include the alarm expiring.

Attributes of an alarm can include a priority of the alarm. In someexamples, a priority of an alarm can include an urgent priority. Forinstance, the alarm may be regarding a fault in a piece of criticalequipment included in a building, such as equipment included in asecurity system or HVAC system. In some examples, a priority of an alarmcan include a high priority. For instance, the alarm may be regarding afault in a piece of equipment that may be important, but may not need tobe addressed in an immediate fashion. In some examples, a priority of analarm can include a low priority. For instance, the alarm may beregarding a fault in a piece of equipment that may be ignored for alonger period of time than a fault corresponding to a high or urgentpriority alarm.

Attributes of an alarm can include a source of the alarm. In someexamples, the source of an alarm may include the source of the equipmentwith a fault. For instance, an alarm may be generated as a result of afault in a piece of HVAC equipment, and the source of the fault may be avalve of a cooling coil of an air handling unit (AHU) is stuck open, aradiator valve is stuck shut, a hot water pump has stopped working, etc.In some examples, the source of an alarm may include the location of theequipment generating the fault. For instance, an alarm may be generatedas a result of a fault in a piece of HVAC equipment, and the source ofthe fault may be the cooling coil of the AHU located on a third floorequipment room of a building, a radiator valve located in a first floorclassroom of a building, or a hot water pump located in an undergroundboiler room of the building, etc.

Attributes of an alarm can include a category of the alarm. In someexamples, the category of an alarm may include the category of theequipment with a fault. For instance, an alarm may be generated as aresult of a fault in a piece of HVAC equipment, a fault in a securitysystem, a fault in an electrical system, a fault in a plumbing system,etc. In some examples, the category of an alarm may include a PointAlarm (e.g., an alarm regarding a part of a piece of equipment), SystemAlarm (e.g., software or core issues such as an expired softwarelicense, etc.), and/or other categories of alarms.

Although attributes of the alarms are described as including acondition, priority, source, and category of the alarms, embodiments ofthe present disclosure are not so limited. For example, attributes ofthe alarms can include other alarm descriptors/characteristics.

Computing device 106 can compare attributes of an alarm received frombuilding automation system 108 to attributes of alarms included indatabase 104 of suppressed alarms. For example, computing device 106 canreceive an alarm from building automation system 108 and compare theattributes of the alarm from building automation system 108 withattributes of alarms that have been previously suppressed by a user of amobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N todetermine whether any or all of the attributes match.

In some examples, the alarm received by computing device 106 frombuilding automation system 108 can be a same alarm (e.g., repeated) asan alarm previously suppressed. For example, a user of a mobile deviceamong the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N may havepreviously received a notification of an alarm regarding a fault of avalve included in HVAC equipment. Although the user may have alreadyimplemented a strategy to fix the fault of the valve, the valve may notactually be fixed until some future time, and thus the user may keepreceiving notifications of the alarm regarding the fault of the valve(e.g., the same alarm).

In some examples, the alarm received by computing device 106 frombuilding automation system 108 can be a different alarm as an alarmpreviously suppressed. For example, a user of a mobile device among thenumber of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N may have previouslyreceived a notification of an alarm regarding a fault of a valveincluded in HVAC equipment. The user may then receive a notification ofan alarm regarding a fault of a hot water pump included in HVACequipment.

In response to comparing attributes of an alarm received from buildingautomation system 108 to attributes of alarms included in database 104of suppressed alarms, computing device 106 can refrain from transmittinga notification of the alarm received from building automation system 108in response to attributes of the alarm received from building automationsystem 108 matching attributes of the alarms in database 104.

In some examples, a user may have previously suppressed notifications ofan alarm regarding a fault of a valve included in HVAC equipment; inresponse to computing device 106 determining that the attributes ofanother alarm regarding the fault of the valve received from buildingautomation system 108 match those of the previously suppressed alarmregarding the fault of the valve, computing device 106 can refrain fromtransmitting a notification of the alarm regarding the fault of thevalve to a mobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1,112-2, 112-N.

In some examples, a user may have previously suppressed notifications ofan alarm regarding a fault of a valve included in HVAC equipment; inresponse to computing device 106 determining that the attributes ofanother alarm regarding a fault of a hot water pump of the HVAC systemreceived from building automation system 108 match those of thepreviously suppressed alarm regarding the fault of the valve, computingdevice 106 can refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarmregarding the hot water pump to a mobile device among the number ofmobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.

In some examples, computing device 106 may refrain from transmitting anotification of an alarm in response to one of the attributes of thealarm matching at least one of the attributes of a suppressed alarm indatabase 104. For example, computing device 106 may determine that thesource of the alarm received from building automation system 108 matchesthe source of a suppressed alarm in database 104. Computing device 106may then refrain from transmitting a notification regarding the alarmreceived from building automation system 108 to a mobile device amongthe number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.

In some examples, computing device 106 may refrain from transmitting anotification of an alarm in response to all of the attributes of thealarm matching all of the attributes of a suppressed alarm in database104. For example, computing device 106 may determine that all of theattributes of the alarm received from building automation system 108match all of the attributes of a suppressed alarm in database 104.Computing device 106 may then refrain from transmitting a notificationregarding the alarm received from building automation system 108 to amobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.

Although described as all of the attributes of an alarm received frombuilding automation system 108 matching all of the attributes of asuppressed alarm in database 104 resulting in computing device 106refraining from transmitting a notification regarding the alarm receivedfrom building automation system 108 to a mobile device among the numberof mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not so limited. For example, computing device 106 candetermine that two or three of the attributes of an alarm received frombuilding automation system 108 match two or three of the attributes of asuppressed alarm in database 104, respectively, that can result incomputing device 106 refraining from transmitting a notificationregarding the alarm received from building automation system 108 to amobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.

Computing device 106 may transmit a notification of an alarm receivedfrom building automation system 108 in response to the attributes of thealarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarms in database 104.For example, computing device 106 may receive an alarm regarding a valveof a cooling coil in an AHU as being stuck, compare the attributes ofthe stuck cooling coil valve alarm to attributes of suppressed alarmsstored in database 104, and transmit a notification of the stuck coolingcoil valve alarm to a mobile device among the number of mobile devices112-1, 112-2, 112-N in response to none of the attributes of the stuckcooling coil valve alarm matching any of the attributes of thesuppressed alarms stored in database 104.

Computing device 106 can receive a further notification of an alarm frombuilding automation system 108 and determine a transmission frequency ofnotifications of the alarm from building automation system 108. Forexample, computing device 106 can determine that an alarm regarding astuck cooling coil valve generates a notification every ten minutes.Computing device 106 can determine the transmission frequency ofnotifications of the stuck cooling coil valve alarm to be every tenminutes.

Computing device 106 can group notifications of an alarm in response tothe transmission frequency of notifications of an alarm being greaterthan a threshold frequency. For instance, a threshold frequency of analarm can be five notifications of an alarm per hour. For example, basedon a transmission frequency of a notification of an alarm every tenminutes regarding a stuck cooling coil valve that results in sixnotifications per hour, computing device 106 can group the notificationsof the stuck cooling coil valve alarm. Computing device 106 can thentransmit the group notification of the alarm to a mobile device amongthe number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N. Grouping thenotifications into a group notification can reduce the frequency ofnotifications of an alarm sent to a mobile device among the number ofmobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.

As previously described, computing device 106 can receive, from a mobiledevice among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N,instructions to suppress notifications of an alarm for a predeterminedlength of time. Computing device 106 can remove the suppressed alarmfrom database 104 after the predetermined length of time has expired.For example, a notification of an alarm suppressed for one hour can beremoved from database 104 by computing device 106 after one hour.

Upon expiration of the predetermined length of time, computing device106 can transmit notifications of the previously suppressed alarms to amobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N.For instance, after a previously selected predetermined length of timeof one hour has expired, notifications of a previously suppressed alarmmay begin to be transmitted to a mobile device among the number ofmobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N. In some examples, if an alarmregarding a radiator valve being stuck shut is received by computingdevice 106 after expiration of a predetermined length of time of apreviously suppressed alarm with attributes matching those of the alarmregarding the radiator valve being stuck shut, computing device 106 cantransmit the notification of the alarm regarding the radiator valvebeing stuck shut to a mobile device among the number of mobile devices112-1, 112-2, 112-N. The notification may be sent after expiration ofthe predetermined length of time regardless any of the attributes of thealarm matching any of the attributes of the previously suppressed alarm.

Computing device 106 may transmit a total count of a number ofnotifications of alarms that were not sent during the predeterminedlength of time to a mobile device among the number of mobile devices112-1, 112-2, 112-N after expiration of the predetermined length oftime. For example, a user of a mobile device among the number of mobiledevices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N may have chosen to suppress notificationsfor one hour of alarms regarding a radiator valve being stuck. Uponexpiration of the one hour, computing device 106 may transmit to themobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N thenumber of alarms regarding the radiator valve being stuck (e.g., sixalarms were generated during the one hour regarding the radiator valvebeing stuck), as well as any alarms with attributes matching theattributes of the stuck radiator valve alarm (e.g., four alarms weregenerated that matched attributes of the stuck radiator valve alarmduring the one hour), that were received by computing device 106 in thatone hour predetermined length of time.

Platform 102 and computing device 106 can receive instructions from amobile device among the number of mobile devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-N torelease notifications of alarms that include attributes matchingattributes of an alarm with suppressed notifications prior to thepredetermined length of time expiring. For instance, a user can release(e.g., remove suppression) previously suppressed alarms prior to theselected predetermined length of time expiring. For example, a user mayhave chosen to suppress notifications for one day of alarms regarding aradiator valve being stuck. Prior to the one day expiring, the user maychoose to allow notifications of alarms of the stuck radiator valve, aswell as any alarms with attributes matching the attributes of the stuckradiator valve alarm, to be transmitted to the user's mobile device112-1, 112-2, 112-N. Platform 102, and computing device 106, maytransmit notifications to mobile device 112-1, 112-2, 112-N in responseto receiving the instructions to release the notifications.

Reducing nuisance notifications from a building automation system byallowing users to suppress repeat notifications, as well as otherrelated notifications, can increase the usefulness of mobile applicationsolutions for building automation systems by preventing mobile devicesfrom being occupied by constant receipt of notifications. For example, auser can avoid worrying about notifications of alarms they may alreadybe aware of and have implemented steps to remediate. Reducing thisnotification noise can allow a user to focus on other alarms that may benew, more urgent, and/or more important.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a display 214 on a user interface of amobile device showing options for suppressing notifications of an alarm,in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIG. 2, the display 214 can include a notification of an alarm216, alarm attributes 218, and suppress options 220.

The notification of an alarm 216 can illustrate to a user of the mobiledevice (e.g., mobile device 112-1, 112-2, 112-N, previously described inconnection with FIG. 1) information regarding an alarm generated by abuilding automation system (e.g., building automation system 108,previously described in connection with FIG. 1). For example, when anotification of an alarm 216 is received by the mobile device, a user ofthe mobile device can quickly determine information about the alarmusing alarm attributes 218.

As shown in FIG. 2, alarm attributes 218 can include conditions,priority, source, and/or category of the alarm. For example, thenotification of an alarm 216 can include alarm attributes 218 thatspecify a condition of the alarm (e.g., 19.90 M3/HR flow rate) and asource of the alarm (e.g., PASS 1 FLOW TO HEATER). This information canallow a user to determine actions to take regarding the alarm and/or howquickly to take those actions.

After a user has received the notification of alarm 216 and hasconsidered actions to take regarding the alarm, the user can suppressfurther notifications for the alarm and/or notifications of other alarmswith similar attributes to the alarm using suppress options 220. Forexample, a user can utilize suppress options 220 to suppress furthernotifications for the alarm and/or notifications of other alarms withsimilar attributes to the alarm for a predetermined length of time, aswill be further described in connection with FIG. 3.

Once a user has elected to suppress notifications for the alarm and/ornotifications of other alarms with similar attributes to the alarm usingsuppress options 220, a computing device (e.g., computing device 106,previously described in connection with FIG. 1) can receive theinstructions to suppress notifications of the alarm and/or notificationsof other alarms with similar attributes to the alarm.

In the event the computing device receives a new alarm from the buildingautomation system, the computing device can compare the attributes ofthe suppressed alarm with the attributes of the new alarm from thebuilding automation system. If the attributes of the new alarm match theattributes of the suppressed alarm (e.g., as previously described inconnection with FIG. 1), the computing device can refrain fromtransmitting a notification of the new alarm to the mobile device. Ifthe attributes of the new alarm do not match the attributes of thesuppressed alarm, the computing device can transmit a notification ofthe new alarm to the mobile device.

The user of the mobile device can choose to resume receivingnotifications for the alarm and/or notifications of other alarms withsimilar attributes to the alarm prior to the predetermined length oftime expiring using suppress options 220. For example, the user can usesuppress options 220 to elect to begin receiving notifications for thealarm and/or notifications of other alarms with similar attributes tothe alarm by using suppress options 220 to cancel the suppressioninstructions.

Once a user has elected to cancel suppression of notifications for thealarm and/or notifications of other alarms with similar attributes tothe alarm using suppress options 220, a computing device (e.g.,computing device 106, previously described in connection with FIG. 1)can receive the instructions to release notifications of the alarmand/or notifications of other alarms with similar attributes to thealarm. Computing device can then transmit notifications of the alarmand/or notifications of other alarms with similar attributes to themobile device.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a display 322 on a user interface of amobile device showing options for selecting a predetermined length oftime for suppressing notifications of an alarm, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, thedisplay 322 can include predetermined length of time options 324.

A user can choose to suppress notifications of an alarm and/ornotifications of other alarms with similar attributes for apredetermined length of time using predetermined length of time options324. In some examples, predetermined length of time options 324 caninclude various time periods such as ten minutes, one hour, twenty-fourhours, or one week. In some examples, the user can choose a differentpredetermined length of time using predetermined length of time options324. For instance, the user can select any other length of time tosuppress notifications of the alarm and/or notifications of other alarmswith similar attributes.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a computing device for use with asystem for reducing nuisance notifications from a building automationsystem, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure. For example, computing device 406 (e.g., computing device106, previously described in connection with FIG. 1) can include amemory 428 and a processor 426 configured to execute executableinstructions stored in memory 428 to receive a notification of an alarmfrom a building automation system (e.g., building automation system 108,previously described in connection with FIG. 1), compare attributes ofthe alarm to attributes of alarms included in a database of suppressedalarms, refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarm to amobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm matchingattributes of any of the alarms in the database, and transmit anotification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to theattributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarmsin the database.

The memory 428 can be any type of storage medium that can be accessed bythe processor 426 to perform various examples of the present disclosure.For example, the memory 428 can be a non-transitory computer readablemedium having computer readable instructions (e.g., computer programinstructions) stored thereon that are executable by the processor 426 toreceive a notification of an alarm from a building automation system,compare attributes of the alarm to attributes of alarms included in adatabase of suppressed alarms, refrain from transmitting a notificationof the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of thealarm matching attributes of any of the alarms in the database, andtransmit a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response tothe attributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of thealarms in the database.

The memory 428 can be volatile or nonvolatile memory. The memory 428 canalso be removable (e.g., portable) memory, or non-removable (e.g.,internal) memory. For example, the memory 428 can be random accessmemory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and/or phasechange random access memory (PCRAM)), read-only memory (ROM) (e.g.,electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and/orcompact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), flash memory, a laser disc, adigital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, and/or a magneticmedium such as magnetic cassettes, tapes, or disks, among other types ofmemory.

Further, although memory 428 is illustrated as being located withincomputing device 406, embodiments of the present disclosure are not solimited. For example, memory 428 can also be located internal to anothercomputing resource (e.g., enabling computer readable instructions to bedownloaded over the Internet or another wired or wireless connection).

As used herein, “logic” is an alternative or additional processingresource to execute the actions and/or functions, etc., describedherein, which includes hardware (e.g., various forms of transistorlogic, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), asopposed to computer executable instructions (e.g., software, firmware,etc.) stored in memory and executable by a processor. It is presumedthat logic similarly executes instructions for purposes of theembodiments of the present disclosure.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anyarrangement calculated to achieve the same techniques can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coverany and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of thedisclosure.

It is to be understood that the above description has been made in anillustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of theabove embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically describedherein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing theabove description.

The scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure includes anyother applications in which the above structures and methods are used.Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the disclosure should bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullrange of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are groupedtogether in example embodiments illustrated in the figures for thepurpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is notto be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of thedisclosure require more features than are expressly recited in eachclaim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matterlies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus,the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed:
 1. A computing device for reducing nuisancenotifications from a system, comprising: a memory; and a processorconfigured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to:compare an attribute of an alarm from the system to a correspondingattribute of alarms included in a database of suppressed alarms;transmit a notification of the alarm to a remote device in response tothe attribute of the alarm not matching the corresponding attribute ofthe alarms in the database of suppressed alarms; and not transmittingthe notification of the alarm to the remote device when the attribute ofthe alarm matches the corresponding attribute of alarms in the databaseof suppressed alarms.
 2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein thealarm includes two or more attributes, and wherein each of the two ormore attributes is compared to a corresponding attribute of the alarmsincluded in the database of suppressed alarms.
 3. The computing deviceof claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to execute executableinstructions stored in the memory to: transmit the notification of thealarm to the remote device in response to at least one of the two ormore attributes of the alarm not matching the corresponding attribute ofthe alarms in the database of suppressed alarms; and not transmittingthe notification of the alarm to the remote device when all of the twoor more attributes of the alarm match the corresponding attribute ofalarms in the database of suppressed alarms.
 4. The computing device ofclaim 2, wherein the processor is configured to execute executableinstructions stored in the memory to: transmit the notification of thealarm to the remote device in response to all of the two or moreattributes of the alarm not matching the corresponding attribute of thealarms in the database of suppressed alarms; and not transmitting thenotification of the alarm to the remote device when at least one of thetwo or more attributes of the alarm match the corresponding attribute ofalarms in the database of suppressed alarms.
 5. The computing device ofclaim 1, wherein the attribute of the alarm comprises one of a source ofthe alarm, a priority of the alarm, a condition of the alarm and acategory of the alarm.
 6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in thememory to receive a first notification of the alarm from the system. 7.The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured toexecute executable instructions stored in the memory to: receive asecond notification of the alarm from the system after receiving thefirst notification; group the first notification of the alarm and thesecond notification of the alarm; and transmit a group notification ofthe alarm to the remote device in response to the attribute of the alarmnot matching the corresponding attribute of the alarms in the databaseof suppressed alarms.
 8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in thememory to: receive an instruction from the remote device to suppressfuture notifications of the alarm for a selected length of time when theattribute of the alarm matches the corresponding attribute of alarms inthe database of suppressed alarms; not transmitting the notification ofthe alarm to the remote device when the attribute of the alarm matchesthe corresponding attribute of the alarms in the database of suppressedalarms for the selected length of time following reception of theinstruction to suppress the notification of the alarm; and after theselected length of time expires following reception of the instructionto suppress the notification of the alarm, transmit a subsequentnotification of the alarm to the remote device.
 9. The computing deviceof claim 8, wherein the subsequent notification of the alarm that istransmitted to the remote device includes a total count of notificationsof the alarm that were received from the system during the selectedlength of time.
 10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein theprocessor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in thememory to: remove the alarm from the database of suppressed alarms afterthe selected length of time expires.
 11. The computing device of claim8, wherein the processor is configured to execute executableinstructions stored in the memory to: before the selected length of timeexpires, receive an instruction from the remote device to cancel thereceived instruction to suppress the notification of the alarm, and inresponse, remove the alarm from the database of suppressed alarms. 12.The computing device of claim 11, wherein the database of suppressedalarms comprises a plurality of listings of suppressed alarms, whereineach of the plurality of listings of suppressed alarms corresponds to acorresponding one of a plurality of remote devices, and wherein removingthe alarm from the database of suppressed alarms comprises removing thealarm from the corresponding listing of suppressed alarms thatcorresponds to the remote device.
 13. A method for reducing nuisancenotifications from a system, the method comprising: displaying anotification of an alarm associated with the system on a user interfaceof a remote device; receiving a user input from a user via the userinterface of the remote device to suppress future notifications of thealarm for a selected length of time; not displaying future notificationof the alarm on the user interface of the remote device for the selectedlength of time; and after the selected length of time expires,displaying subsequent notification of the alarm on the user interface ofthe remote device.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the notificationof the alarm displayed on the user interface of the remote deviceincludes a suppress button, that when activated by the user, suppressesfuture notifications of the alarm for the selected length of time. 15.The method of claim 14, wherein activation of the suppress button causesan option to be displayed on the user interface of the remote devicethat queries the user to select the selected length of time.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the option displays a plurality ofpredetermined lengths of time for selection by the user via the userinterface of the remote device.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein thealarm has one or more attributes, the method further comprising: notdisplaying on the user interface of the remote device for the selectedlength of time future notification of other alarms that have one or moreattributes that match at least one corresponding attribute of the alarm.18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more attributes of thealarm comprises one of a source of the alarm, a priority of the alarm, acondition of the alarm and a category of the alarm.
 19. A remote devicefor displaying notifications associated with alarms of a system, theremote device comprising: a memory; a wireless interface; a userinterface including a display; a processor operatively coupled to thememory, the user interface and the wireless interface, the processorconfigured to: receive via the wireless interface a notification of analarm associated with the system; store the notification of the alarm inthe memory; display an indication of the alarm on the display; receive auser input via the user interface to suppress the display of futurenotifications of the alarm on the display of the remote device; receivevia the user interface a selection of a selected length of time tosuppress the display of future notifications of the alarm; not displayan indication of future notification of the alarm on the display of theremote device for the selected length of time; and after the selectedlength of time expires, displaying an indication of subsequentnotification of the alarm on the display of the remote device.
 20. Theremote device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configuredto, before the selected length of time expires, receive via the userinterface a user input that cancels suppression of future notificationsof the alarm.